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Swindon
silentNate
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I have to visit Swindon 
Are there any things I should do while I'm there??
Any major attractions I shouldn't miss?? :kitty:
It's been a long time since I visited but remember the Railway Village and where I used to squat on Regent's Street. Not planning on walking the Ridgeway but might be nice to see something while I'm there in a 'non-sneery' tourist way
Are there any things I should do while I'm there??
Any major attractions I shouldn't miss?? :kitty:
It's been a long time since I visited but remember the Railway Village and where I used to squat on Regent's Street. Not planning on walking the Ridgeway but might be nice to see something while I'm there in a 'non-sneery' tourist way
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http://www.visitwiltshire.co.uk/towns-and-villages/swindon-p1501903
Depends on what you want to do.
Didcot Railway Centre is not that far away.
http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk
Avebury stone circle.
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/avebury
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avebury
Uffington church.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uffington,_Oxfordshire
White horse.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vale_of_White_Horse
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uffington_White_Horse
I worked in Shriveham for a year at The Royal Military College of Science (1987-1988) as part of my industrial year, during my degree course and IMO Swindon itself was pretty boring in the main.
But there were perks at the RMCS, such as a top notch a la carte restaurant with all you could eat at less than £2 (no joking as well and if you weren't honest, you could just walk in, rather than signing the meal register), spirits at 14p/shot and beer at 30p/pint.
ETA. If you go into the town centre, let me know if the Brunel Rooms nightclub is still around. It was an OK nightclub and had a revolving bar.
Swindon old town was OK with a few decent bars/pubs.
I found the women pretty stand offish, unlike south Wales women, as in they were rarely interested, unless you were loaded.
ETA1. Swindon is the sort of place most people want to pass through, and that is saying something from somebody that has lived in Hemel Hempstead and Luton.
ETA2. Out of all the places I've lived, I nominate Hemel Hempstead in number two slot as the most boring, after Swindon. This is out of south Devon, Treforest/Pontypridd, Plymouth, Welwyn Garden City, Salford and Luton.
Put it this way, you could never pay me enough to ever consider living there again.
I'd agree with the poster above who mentioned Uffington - it's a lovely walk up there.
If you've any interest in horse racing, Lambourn is only about 15 minutes up the road, where a lot of top horses are trained.
The Cotswolds are on your doorstep, Stonehenge is 40 minutes away. Lacock, the setting for many period dramas is just down the road near Chippenham.
As for things to do in Swindon......The town centre is average for shopping, nothing special at all, there are lots of pubs down there but all very youth orientated. Old Town provides an older focus for evening entertainment and includes the Arts Centre that hosts lots of small productions and stand up comedians. There are some good restaurants in Old Town too whilst the WeighBridge is a cracking restaurant in Rodbourne near the outlet centre.
Steam, the railway museum is supposed to be very good (never been).
The Kennett & Avon Canal is not too far away for nice country walks.
There are Roman ruins not far from Cirencester if that floats your boat.
The art museum in Old Town has a reputation as one of the best of British 20th Century Art outside London (again never been).
I know it's an easy punchline to say that the best part of Swindon is the road out but It does have everything you need plus access to lovely places near by really easily.
It's closed!
There was a small revival a few years back, but it was short lived.
I wouldn't go again but it was ok. Not really any different to loads of towns.
Yeah, I'm glad I visited that
Found a lot of really good Italian restaurants, especially around Highworth and remembered there was a fairly large Italian population around there
Went to Swindon but mainly spent time in Cheltenham
didn't see much of it though..........just the football ground
http://www.steam-museum.org.uk/Pages/Home.aspx
After that, go look round the outlet centre next door (John Lewis outlet, stuffed with cheap tellys!), then find somewhere else to go.
The A420 is nice as you drive east and you visit the city of dreaming spires....then visit Didcot rail museum.
Oxford.